Guard-finger and finger-bar



T. WITTE.

GUARD FINGER AND FINGER BAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI. 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

T."WITTE.

GUARD FINGER AND FINGER BAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I, 1920.

1,374,973. Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET, 2.

llllll Ill I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 7 m A2040 11 1558 7 76 L INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE wrr'rn, or MAKOTI, NORTH DAKOTA.

GUARD-FINGER Ann FINGER-BAR.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, THEODORE Wrrrn, cit zen of the United States, residing at Makoti, in the county of \Vard and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Guard-Fingers and Finger-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention seeks to provide a slmple and eflicient deviceforconnecting a guard finger to the finger bar of a mower or harvester by the use of which the presence. of bolts which are apt to become loose is rendered unnecessary. A secondary object of the invention is to provide a device which may be easily and quickly applied to the guard finger and the finger bar and whlch may be readily manipulated to permit removal of a broken guard finger and the substitution of a new one therefor. The stated objects and other objects which will appear in the course of the followlng description are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings? Figure l is a perspective view showing the invention applied to a guard finger and finger bar of a mower;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; d

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective showing the finger bar in section and disconnected from the guard finger;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the invention applied to a guard finger of a harvester Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

The guard finger 1 may be of the usual form and is provided in its upper side with the usual groove 2 to accommodate the reciprocating cutter bar. In rear of said groove 2, the guard finger is formed with lateral wings or arms 3 to bear against the front edge of the finger bar 4. The wlngs are of angular outline in end vlew whereby they present a shelf 5 to engage under the finger bar and a groove 6 to receive the flange or rib 7 on the front edge of the bar. In rear of the wings, the guard finger presents a stem 8 extending to the rear edge of the finger r: the said S em ha g n up- Specification of Letters Patent.

standing stud or lug the rear. edge of the finger Patented Apr. 19, 1921 Application filed May 1, 1920. Serial No. 378,229.

a socket 10 provided therefor in the under surface of the finger bar. At the rear extremity of the stem is an overhanging lip 11 which wlll be just pliable enough to permitit to be forced into close engagementwith the rib or flange 12 extending along bar.

In theuse of my invention, the finger bar is disposed across the guard finger. with its front edge fitting against the wings 3, the flange 7 engaging the groove 6, and the stud 9 in the socket 10, after which the lip 11 is turned over to engage the rear flange 12 of the finger bar. The finger bar and the guard finger are brought into the engagement of the stud 9 and the socket l0 and the engagement of the front edge of the bar in the angle of the wings 3 and the shelf 5 so that it is not necessary to make fine measurements or exercise extreme care in assembling the parts. After the finger bar and guard finger have been properly assembled and the lip 11 turned over, as shown in F igs. 1. and 2, the guard finger cannot drop from the finger bar owing to the engagement of the wings 3 and lip 11 with the front and rear edges of the finger bar, as is obvious, and shifting of the guard finger longitudinally of the finger bar is prevented by the engagement of the stud 9 in the socket 10. The socket, of course, terminates below the upper surface of the finger bar so that a smooth surface is presented to thepassage of grain or grass and there is no interference with the movements of the cutter bar. Should a guard finger be broken, it is necessary merely to bend back the lip 11 whereupon the broken finger will drop from the finger bar and a new finger may be readily fitted in place.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown the principles of my invention applied to the guard fingers and finger bar of a harvester and binder. In these machines, the rear .end of the guard finger 20 is extended vertia breast plate 9 adapted to engage 4 proper relation by hooks 27 on the respective breast plates. It will thus be seen that the guard fingers are secured to the finger bar rigidly without the use of any bolts or nuts which are apt to work loose. At the same time, thefinger may be readily detached if repairs or replacement be necessary.

My device is exceedingly simple and may be produced at a very low cost. When in use, it is found highly efficient for the purposes for which it is designed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a finger bar having a socket in its under side, a guard finger disposed below the finger bar, a fastening member permanent upon the guard finger and having its front and rear ends in overhanging engagement with the finger bar,

and a stud on said fastening member engaging the socket in the finger bar.

2. The combination of a finger bar, a guard finger disposed below the finger bar, a T-shaped fastening permanent upon the guard finger and provided intermediate its ends with means to engage the underside of the finger bar, and lips at the front and rear ends of said fastening to engage and overhang the edges of the finger bar.

3. The combination of a finger bar having a longitudinal rib, a guard finger provided with a grooved lip engaging said rib, to support the guard finger, and interengaging means on the guard finger and the finger bar to prevent movement of the guard finger along the finger bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THEODORE WITTE. [n s.] 

